Presser foot



y 9. 1967 G. F. EDDY 3,318,273

PRESSER FOOT Filed Aug. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. GEO/( 65E EDD! ATTORNEW United States Patent 3,318,273 PRESSER FOOT George F.Eddy, Conneaut Lake, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed Aug. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 390,947 11 Claims. (Cl.112-235) This invention relates to a presser foot for a sewing machine,and, more particularly, to a sewing machine presser foot for use insewing a slide fastener to a garment or the like.

Slide fasteners for closing an opening in a garment are commonly mountedupon tapes which are sewed to the marginal portions of the cloth on eachside of the opening. Because it is desirable to conceal the slidefastener from view to maintain the attractive appearance of the garment,the tapes of the side fastener chain are sewn to the garment closelyadjacent to the fastener elements, preferably with the marginal portionof the opening of the garment overlapping the outermost edges of thestringer tapes, each of which carries a plurality of fastener elementssecured to one of its edges.

Generally, it has been the prior practice for the operator to separatelysew each stringer tape to the marginal portion. This construction hasproven to be time consuming as well as costly because of the number ofsteps that must be performed by the operator. First, the operator placesa tape along one edge of the opening in the garment, taking great careto align the tape of the slide fastener with the edge of the opening inthe garment. Next, the operator sews the tape to the marginal portionadjacent the side of the opening of the garment to secure the slidefastener tape thereto. Then the entire sewing operation must be repeatedto sew the second tape to the garment. In performing these operations,the operator must make-sure that each row of stitching that secures theslide fastener to the garment is aligned substantially parallel to eachother as well as spaced an equal distance from the edge of the opening,so that when the opening in the garment is closed, the slide fastenerchain is centered relative to the opening and no part of the finishedgarment is puckered to thus create an unsightly appearance. After eachtape is stitched to the garment along its length, one or both of theends are cross stitched to close the ends of the fastener.

It is the general object of this invention to provide an improved sewingmachine presser foot for simultaneously guiding the tapes of a slidefastener chain into overlapping registration with the marginal portionsof an opening in a garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved presser footfor a double needle sewing machine which separates the slide fastenerchain and guides the individual tapes into parallel paths past thesewing station.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compensating presserfoot for sewing the stringer tapes of a slide fastener to a garment.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved sewingmachine presser foot for simultaneously sewing to the marginal portionsof an opening in a garment the opposed tapes of a slide fastener chain.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention can be had byreferring to the following description and claims taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the presser foot of thepresent invention and showing elements of the sewing machine to which itis attached;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plane view of the improved presser foot of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the improved presser foot 3,318,273 PatentedMay 9, 1967 shown in FIG. 2 with opposed slide fastener tapes inposition relative to an opening in a garment; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective framentary view, partly in section, of a slidefastener sewn to a garment by means of the improved presser foot of thepresent invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the presser foot of the presentinvention is disclosed in operative relation to only those parts of asewing machine considered essential to fully comprehend the invention,it being understood that the remainder of the sewing machine is ofconventional construction. The sewing machine includes a flat bed 10 anda reciprocating needle assembly 12, carrying a pair of needles 14. Apresser foot assembly 16 is supported in operative disposition to needleassembly 12 by a bracket member 18 fastened to a suitable presser bar(not shown) of a sewing machine.

As shown in the drawings, a rear plate 20 of the presser foot assembly16 is attached to bracket member 18. A pair of vertical grooves 22 and24 formed in plate 20 slidably accept the vertical legs 26 and 28,respectively, of a pair of L-shaped shank members 30 and 32. The lowerlegs 34 and 36 of shank members 30 and 32, respectively, extendforwardly of plate 20. A connecting bar 38 is pivotally mounted to rearplate 20 by a bearing member 40 located intermediate grooves 22 and 24.A pair of apertures 42 and 44, located adjacent the remote ends of bar40, accept pins 46 and 48, respectively, which pins project outwardlyfrom the rear surface of vertical legs 26 and 28, respectively. Atransverse member 50 secured to plate 20 retains the vertical'legs 26and 28 of shank members 30 and 32, respectively, in vertical grooves 22and 24. Thus, connecting bar 38 is interconnected to shank members 30and 32 and will pivot about bearing 40 in response to the thickness ofthe garment G moving across bed 10 of the sewing machine and passingunder presser foot assembly 16 to thereby maintain a substantiallyconstant pressure on the garment. Each of the legs 34 and 36 of shankmembers 30 and 32 are transversely apertured adjacent their free end toreceive a pin 52 for pivotally supporting the upstanding and aperturedspaced lugs 54 and 56 of adjacent presser feet 58 and 60, respectively.Connecting bar 38 interconnected to shank members 30 and 32 of presserfeet 58 and 60, respectively, provides the usual compensatingarrangement for a sewing machine.

Each of the presser feet 58 and 60 includes a flat sole portion 62 and64, respectively, and a merging upturned toe portion 66 and 68,respectively. This configuration will allow a garment G, slidably movingacross fiat bed 10 of the sewing machine, to pass under each of thepresser feet 58 and 60 and in contact with the bottom surfaces of thesole portions 62 and 64. A needle clearance aperture 70 is located ineach of the sole portions 62 and 64, respectively, for accepting thepair of needles 14 carried by the reciprocating needle assembly 12.

A substantially U-shaped member 72 is located at the tip of eachupturned toe portion 66 and 68 of presser feet 58 and 60, respectively,with its bight portion 74 located at the outer surface thereof. Theinnermost surface of one leg of member 72 is secured, such as by weldingor the like, to the upper surface of its respective toe portion in amanner such that the innermost surface of the lower leg 76 is spacedfrom the lowermost surface of its respective toe portion. The lowersurface of each of the upturned toe portions 66 and 68, as well as thebight portion 74 and the lower leg 76 of member 72 provide an open endguide channel which guides a material of a given thickness in a mannerto be hereinafter described.

A substantially vertical separating fin 77 can be formed on the outertip of toe portion 68, adjacent its innermost edge, such that fin 77 iscentrally positioned, substantially intermediate the width of presserfoot assembly 16. Fin

77 has a leading edge 78 which is of sufficient length such that it actson the interlocked chain 80 regardless of its path of movement from itssupply (not shown) to the sewing station of the presser foot assembly 16of the sewing machine. Thus, if some other arrangement is made toseparate the interlocked chain prior to the presser foot assembly 16,then fin 77 is not essential to the operation of the improved presserfoot. It should also be 'noted that fin 77 can be located on either orboth toe portions 66 and 68 without changing its function.

In the normal use of a double presser foot with a sewing machine, theadjacent presser feet 58 and 60 are laterally spaced from each othersuch that a knife blade 82 having a tapered cutting edge 83 can bemounted to the needle assembly 12, intermediate the pair of needles 14.Knife blade 82 reciprocally enters the space separating presser feet 58and 60 for cutting an opening in garment G prior to its movement pastthe sewing station. However, if an opening has previously been made inthe garment, the knife blade 82 will be ineffective.

As best shown in FIGS..2 and 3, .grooves 84 and 86 are formed in theunderside of presser feet 58 and 60, respectively, which grooves extendfrom the foremost edge of the upturned toe portions 66 and 68 to therearmost edge of sole portions 62 and 64 of presser feet 58 and 60,respectively. Each of grooves 84 and 86 extend substantially parallel toeach other and are located in their respective presser feet adjacent tothe outermost edge thereof. However, in particular applications grooves84 and 86 could be located adjacent to the innermost edge, if desired.

The rows of fastener elements 88 secured to one edge of tapes 92 and 94normally project above the flat surfaces thereof, and are accommodatedin grooves 84 and 86 in a manner such that one flat side of tapes 92 and94 will slidably engage the underside of presser feet 58 and 60.

In operation, the slide fastener chain is separated into two stringertapes, 92 and 94, each having a plurality of substantially identicalfastener elements 88 located along one edge thereof. are threaded by theoperator into guide channels formed by wire members 72 and the bottomsurfaces of the upturned toe portions 66 and 68. As is best shown inFIG. 1, each tape leader end is oriented substantially 180 about itslongitudinal axis such that the fastener, elements 88 lie on theoutermost edge of the respective tapes 92 and 94 and are placed inalignment with grooves 84 and 86 of presser feet 58 and 60,respectively. Tapes 92 and 94 will overlay the marginal portions of anopening in the garment, with tape 92, as shown in FIG. 3. If there is noopening in the garment, upon actuation of the sewing machine, thereciprocal movement of needle assembly 12 will move knife blade 82 inmanner such that it progressively pierces the garment as it moves acrossbed of the sewing machine.

Once the sewing machine is actuated by the operator, the first stitchsecures the leader ends of tapes 92 and 94 to the garment G after whichthe movement of the garment across bed 10 of the sewing machine willpull interlocked chain 80 from the supply as required. As the chain 80is withdrawn from the supply, the separating ifil'l 77 will tend toseparate the interengaged fastener elements 88 and separate the chain 80into two stringer tapes 92 and 94. Because elements 88 of tapes 92 and94 are slidably accommodated only in grooves 84 and 86, tapes 92 and 94will move in parallel relation to each otherto the sewing station wherethey will be stitched to the garment. The compensating mechanism ofpresser foot assembly 16 will permit each presser foot 58 and 60m exerta substantially uniform downward force on the tapes 92 and 94 as well asgarment G in the usual well known manner.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 4, the compensating presser foot ofthis invention can also be used to sew in a single, pass of t e garmentthrough the machine, a

The leader ends of tapes 92 and 94 i pleat or flap 96 to the garmentsimultaneous with the sewing of tapes 92 and 94 thereto. Flap 96, whichis a length of fabric material generally folded over upon itself, willcover the slide fastener chain from view. Initially flap 96 ispositioned by the operator to overlay the marginal portion of garment Gwith its folded end remote from the opening. With pleat or flap 96 inposition, the garment G is moved in one pass over bed 10 of the machineand the opposed tapes 92 and 94 as well as flap 19 are stitched S to thegarment.

The finished slide fastener merely requires a separate stitching of theends of the pleat or flap 96 as well as the closing of one or both endsof the tapes 92 and 94 in order to maintain the elements 88 in operativerelation. These operations are performed by a separate sewing operationwhich is substantially transverse to the sewing operation performed withthe presser foot assembly 16, described hereinabove, wherein the opposedtapes are attached thereto in but a single operation.

It should be specifically pointed out that by the use of the improvedpresser foot 16, the marginal portions of the garment G and tapes 92 and94 which are now stitched together, as shown in FIG. 4, provide asubstantial area of material of several thicknesses which can be used toattach another part of the finished garment such as a cloth pocket, orcloth lining for the finished garment or the like.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference toan embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations andmodifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of theinvention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a presser foot for a double needle sewing machine which is adaptedto attach simultaneously the separable stringer tapes of a slidefastener chain to the marginal portions of an opening in a garment orthe like moving past the sewing station, said presser foot including atoe portion for directing the moving garment into a given plane and asole portion which slidably rides on the upper surface of the garment asit moves in said given plane, the improvement comprising:

first means located on said toe portion of said presser foot fororienting each of said stringer tapes to move in separate paths past thebottom surface of said toe portion, said first means including anarcuate member having a portion spaced from the botom surface of saidtoe portion a distance substantially equal to the thickness of saidtape; and,

second means formed in the bottom surface of said toe portion and saidsole portion for maintaining each of said stringer tapes in a given pathof movement from said first means to the sewing station of said doubleneedle sewing machine at which point each of said stringer tapes is sewnto said garment.

2. A presser foot according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate member is asubstantially U-shaped member secured by one of its legs adjacent to theremote end of said toe member with its other leg spaced from the bottomsurface of said toe portion a distance substantially equal to thethickness of said tape.

3. A presser foot according to claim 2 wherein said U-shaped member issecured by its upper leg to said toe portion and its lower leg islocated substantially parallel to the lower surface of said toe portionand substantially transverse to the direction of movement of each ofsaid tapes.

4. A presser foot according to claim 1 wherein said second meansincludes a pair of grooves for accepting said fastener elements tomaintain said tapes in separate paths past said sewing station.

5. In a compensating pressor foot for a double needle sewing machinewhich is adapted to attach simultaneously the separate stringer tapes ofa slide fastener chain '3 to the marginal portions of an opening in agarment or the like moving past the sewing station, said compensatingpresser foot including a pair of separated presser feet each having atoe portion for directing the moving garment into a given plane and asole portion which slidably rides on the upper surface of the garment asit moves in said given plane, the improvement comprising:

an arcuately shaped member located on each of said toe portions fororienting each of said stringer tapes to move in separate paths andincluding a portion spaced from the bottom surface a distancesubstantially equal to the thickness of said tape;

a groove formed in the bottom surface of each of said presser feet andextending from the foremost end of said toe portion to the rearmost endof said sole portion of each of said presser feet for slidably acceptingfastener elements of a greater thickness than said tape and which aresecured along one edge of each of said stringer tapes,

said groove and said arcuately shaped member on each presser footcooperating to form a guide for maintaining each of the stringer tapesto be sewn to the garment in substantially a fixed path as each of saidtapes move through the sewing station.

6. A compensating presser foot according to claim wherein each of saidarcuately shaped members is a U- shaped member secured by one of itslegs to said toe portion of said presser foot with its other leg spacedfrom the bottom surface of said toe portion a distance substantiallyequal to the thickness of said tape.

7. A compensating presser foot according to claim 6 wherein saidU-shaped member slidably engages said stringer tapes to guide said tapeinto slidable engagement with the bottom surface of said toe portion andto guide said fastener elements secured along one edge of said stringertape into slidable engagement with said groove whereby each of saidstringer tapes is prevented from moving in a lateral direction.

8. A compensating presser foot according to claim 7 wherein each grooveon each presser foot is of a uniform shape and extends the length of thebottom surface of each of said presser feet adjacent to that lowercorner thereof which is remote from the separation of said presser feet.

9. A compensating presser foot according to claim 8 wherein each of thebight portions of each of said U- shaped members is disposed laterallyoutwardly of that side of said presser foot which is remote from theseparation of said presser foot.

10. A compensating presser foot according to claim 9 wherein aseparating member extends forwardly of said toe portion of each of saidpresser feet for separating said slide fastener chain as it moves from asupply towards said presser foot into separate stringer tapes each ofwhich has a plurality of fastener elements secured thereto along oneedge.

11. A compensating presser foot according to claim 10 wherein saidseparating member includes a vertical fin mounted to said toe portion ofone of said presser feet adjacent to the separation of said presserfeet, said fin intercepting the path of said slide fastener chain as itmoves from said supply towards and said presser foot to separate saidchain into separate stringer tapes each having a plurality of fastenerelements secured thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,834 5/ 1937Blumenkrantz 112-235 2,366,134 12/ 1944 Tllrrisi 112-235 2,545,9803/1951 Vanadia et al 112235 3,003,444 10/ 1961 Gary 112-235 PATRICK D.LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A PRESSER FOOT FOR A DOUBLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE WHICH IS ADAPTEDTO ATTACH SIMULTANEOUSLY THE SEPARABLE STRINGER TAPES OF A SLIDEFASTENER CHAIN TO THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF AN OPENING IN A GARMENT ORTHE LIKE MOVING PAST THE SEWING STATION, SAID PRESSER FOOT INCLUDING ATOE PORTION FOR DIRECTING THE MOVING GARMENT INTO A GIVEN PLANE AND ASOLE PORTION WHICH SLIDABLY RIDES ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE GARMENT ASIT MOVES IN SAID GIVEN PLANE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: FIRST MEANSLOCATED ON SAID TOE PORTION OF SAID PRESSER FOOT FOR ORIENTING EACH OFSAID STRINGER TAPES TO MOVE IN SEPARATE PATHS PAST THE BOTTOM SURFACE OFSAID TOE PORTION, SAID FIRST MEANS INCLUDING AN ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING APORTION SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID TOE PORTION A DISTANCESUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID TAPE; AND, SECOND MEANSFORMED IN THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID TOE PORTION AND SAID SOLE PORTIONFOR MAINTAINING EACH OF SAID STRINGER TAPES IN A GIVEN PATH OF MOVEMENTFROM SAID FIRST MEANS TO THE SEWING STATION OF SAID DOUBLE NEEDLE SEWINGMACHINE AT WHICH POINT EACH OF SAID STRINGER TAPES IS SEWN TO SAIDGARMENT.